Uncategorized – Page 4 – Orange Birding

Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/29/16

I was pretty sure that hawkwatch would be a dud this past Saturday. Southwest winds were in the forecast and the previous day’s count was on the low side (with a northwest wind!). Early on, it seemed like I was right; the watch got off to a very slow start, and I have to say, I was super cranky about it. I did not have a raptor of any sort for the first two hours and fifteen minutes, when I finally had a local Red-tailed Hawk hunting over the valley. Migrating birds started to trickle through shortly after that, but really, it was a slow day.

Things started looking up when I got a visit from Gerhard and Tracy Patsch. We had some interesting conversations, and they seemed to have brought one of the local Red-tails along with them. It was the first time that I’ve had a local “tail” perch and hunt in the viewing platform area. And then bird put on a final show for us, hanging in the air directly above the platform and not very high up. The three of us really enjoyed great looks and I took many photos.

~Golden Eagle, apparently looking right at me? Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/29/16.~

The highlight of the day came at 3:45 pm, when I counted just my 20th migrating raptor of the day, which was the GOLDEN EAGLE. I picked it up due north of the platform; it was distant but I knew immediately that it was an eagle and very shortly after that, that it was a Golden. As luck would have it, the bird flew slowly closer and passed at a nice easy pace right over the platform, circling several times before continuing due south. What a thrill it was, I am still freaking out about it a day later. The Golden Eagle is the 209th bird that I’ve had in Orange County this year. Here’s my report for the day:

Official Counter: Matt Zeitler

Visitors: Gerhard and Tracy Patsch, Tricia Zeitler, Carrie and Cruz Craigmyle, Bill, Carolyn, Cameron, and Mackenzie Martocci.

Weather: Partly cloudy with a southwest wind. Temperatures ranged from 4 to 18 degrees Celsius.

Raptor Observations: It was a slow start; the first raptor observed was a local Red-tailed Hawk over 2 hours and 15 minutes into the watch. One female Northern Harrier and at 3:45 one immature Golden Eagle passed through, circling right over the view platform, giving amazing views.

Non Raptor Species: American Crow (28), Blue Jay (24), White-breasted Nuthatch (2), Black-capped Chickadee (9), American Robin (32), Common Raven (2), Cedar Waxwing (25), Tufted Titmouse (1), Downy Woodpecker (1), Pileated Woodpecker (1), Ring-billed Gull (1), Red-bellied Woodpecker (1), Eastern Bluebird (5), Canada Goose (6), European Starling (20).

~I know, a lot of Golden Eagle shots, but when will I get this opportunity again? GOEA at Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, 10/29/16.~

~This young Red-tailed Hawk put on quite a show. Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, 10/29/16.~

~Going in for the kill, RTHA at Mount Peter Hawkwatch, 10/29/16. Unfortunately the bird came up empty on this attempt.

~Local Red-tailed Hawk cruising by, Mt. Pete Hawkwatch, 10/29/16.~

~And, the local Tail checking out the situation from directly above the platform, Mt. Peter Hawkwatch, 10/29/16.~

And, finally, the obligatory Turkey Vulture photo. Even the vultures were sparse on this day at Mt. Pete, 10/29/16.~

Playing Catch Up, 5/30/16

~Love this bird. Black-billed Cuckoo at Wickham Lake, 5/23/16.~

It’s Monday, but with the holiday weekend it feels like a Sunday to me, so I’m finally getting around to posting. I went out several times during the week, but without many noteworthy sitings or photos. The above Black-billed Cuckoo was an exception; it was taken last Monday at Wickham Lake.

On Friday Tricia and I went up north to Watertown, New York, where I made a site visit at a church to examine their stained glass. We took the opportunity to visit Tricia’s parents near Syracuse, which meant that on Saturday morning I got to go to one of my favorite birding spots: Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. I got a little bit of a late start and arrived at the refuge just after 9:30. I have never birded the refuge at this time of year, and I have to say with the hot temperatures and the amount of car birding one has to do at the refuge, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I usually do. I had 54 species for the day, but most of my looks seemed to be on the distant side. The best spot for birds was Knox-Marcellus Marsh, which I viewed from East Road, but the distance and the heat shimmer made identifying birds a real challenge. I saw reports later in the day from Towpath Road, which runs along the south end of the marsh. I haven’t birded there in years, and it seems like folks may have gotten better looks from there. Best birds of the day: Sandhill Cranes, Trumpeter Swans (with cygnets!), Common Gallinules (many!), several pairs of Blue-winged Teal, and a Caspian Tern.

~On my way back to Tricia’s mom’s place from Montezuma, I stopped at Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area and took a short walk. Red-eyed Vireo, 7/28/16.

~I got a nice look at a pair of Northern Shovelers from Wildlife Drive at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, 5/28/16.~

~I learned something when I did my eBird report – This is likely a Bronzed Common Grackle. From eBird: Common Grackles… “breed largely east of the Rockies, and winter throughout the eastern half of the Lower 48. It is the only truly migratory grackle, abandoning the northern portions of its range from Nov-Feb, and augmenting resident breeders across the Southeast. It occurs only as a vagrant in the Pacific states, where it is often confused with the Brewer’s Blackbird. There are two types of Common Grackles that can generally be told apart by plumage. **The ‘Bronzed Grackle’ (available in eBird as ‘Common Grackle (Bronzed)’)** breeds throughout the northern and western portions of the species’ range, mainly west of the Appalachians. It is migratory, overlapping with the other forms during winter. Best told by its bronzy body plumage, it is generally distinctive, and was once considered a separate species.”~

~Great-crested Flycatcher at Montezuma NWR, 5/28/16.~

~Beautiful bird. Blue-winged Teal at Montezuma NWR, 5/28/16.~

~Always a favorite of mine, one of several Pied-billed Grebes seen at Montezuma NWR, 7/28/16.~

This morning I got up early and, of course, it was raining steadily. I went to Sterling Forest State Park and walked the Sterling Valley Loop. The rain subsided after about an hour or so, which made for a better walk. It was a birdy hike, but most birds were heard and not seen, except in one area where the Sterling Valley Loop overlaps with the Sterling Lake Loop. I had my best looks at birds for the day there; it opens up a little bit with Sterling Lake on the right and a swampy area and a power-cut to the left. There was a breeze off of the lake and I finally got a break from the endless pestering of mosquitos. Then, I enjoyed great looks at a pair of Cerulean Warblers (but no pics!), several Cedar Waxwings, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (pics but distant), a very hungry Great Blue Heron (see below), Yellow Warblers, Baltimore Orioles, Wood Ducks, Chipping Sparrows, and even a fleeting look at an American Woodcock that I inadvertently flushed.

I had three target birds for the day, all birds that I needed for Orange County. They had all been reported in the area recently, and I got lucky with two of them: Acadian Flycatcher and Alder Flycatcher. Right where the Sterling Valley Loop and the Sterling Lake Loop go their separate ways, I first heard (“peeet-sah!”), and then saw the bird. About a half hour further down the trail I heard a call that I wasn’t sure of. I thought it was a flycatcher, but wasn’t sure. I was able to locate the bird and get photos and I later identified it as an Alder Flycatcher doing its “peep” or “pip” call, which I recored on my phone. The third was a Common Gallinule, which I had no luck with. Other than the relentless mosquitoes, it was a good hike and some decent birding.

~Cedar Waxwing, with nesting materials, at Sterling Forest SP, 5/30/16.~

~Great Blue Heron with a catfish. I did not stick around to see how this worked out…. Sterling Valley Loop, 5/30/16.~

~Alder Flycatcher at Sterling Forest SP, 7/30/16.

Orange County Red-necked Grebes, 4/12/16

~Two RED-NECKED GREBES and a Tree Swallow doing a flyby at Wickham Lake, 4/12/16.~

QUICK POST: I was pretty excited today at work, when I received word from Rob Stone that he had located two RED-NECKED GREBES at Wickham Lake. A little later on, Karen Miller reported that there was a Horned Grebe and a Common Loon also present. I went for the birds after work, meeting up with Maria Loukeris and Linda Scrima. They had already located the 3 grebes but the loon was nowhere to be seen. We got excellent scope views of the Red-necked Grebes and took distant photos. The Horned Grebe was a bit further out and I didn’t even try for photos. The RNGRs were just beautiful to see and they made my day for sure.

~On our way out, we ran into this Gray Ghost and I managed one halfway decent shot. Northern Harrier at Wickham Woodlands Town Park, 4/12/16.~

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, 3/26/16

~Beautiful duck! We had loads of Northern Pintails at Savannah Mucklands at Montezuma NWR, 3/26/16.~

I headed out Saturday morning with my brother-in-law Bill, and for the first time ever, I was disappointed by Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. But only a little bit. The problem is that Easter was so early this year that it was the first time I’ve been to the refuge in March. And Wildlife Drive doesn’t open until April 1st. Here it was, probably the nicest day of the year in Seneca County, and arguably the best part of the refuge was closed. Which didn’t make a bit of sense to me, and you can ask Bill, I was not in good humor about it. So, we birded from the visitor’s center viewing platform and then the rest of the refuge and we ended up having a pretty darn good day. The number one highlight of the day was undoubtedly getting Bill’s lifer SANDHILL CRANES. Not only did we finally get lucky with them, we found them only about 30 yards off the road! We got incredible looks at these big, beautiful birds. We also had three rarities on the day, all early birds for Seneca County: LESSER YELLOWLEGS (2), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (6), and GLOSSY IBIS (2). Huge thanks to Mark Fitzsimmons (who I had met while going for the Barrow’s Goldeneye in Ulster County earlier in the month). Bill and I ran into him at the visitor’s center; he was birding the refuge with his daughter and they gave us the heads-up on both the GRYE and the GLIB. We ended up with 44 species on the day and I wonder how many more we might have added if we had gotten to bird Wildlife Drive.

~I love these birds, and I was really happy for Bill to finally see them. Sandhill Cranes at Montezuma NWR, 2/126/16.~

On Easter Sunday I had no plans to do any birding. Tricia and I took a walk with Bill’s oldest daughter Mackenzie through the neighborhood with their two dogs. It was early afternoon, around 2:00, when as we followed the path through a wooded area I heard a BARRED OWL calling. I didn’t believe it at first. We backtracked a little bit and luckily, I was able to locate the bird pretty quickly. We called Bill and Tricia’s sister Caroline and they met us out there. They brought my camera for me so I was able to get some shots, and Bill, Carol, and Mackenzie got their lifer Barred Owl! It was actually a pretty good walk, because prior to that, I had already seen 2 adult Cooper’s Hawks, a young Bald Eagle, and a slew of songbirds.

I wanted to mention that I finally updated the Species Photos 2016 page last week; I’ve increased the number of species photos from 34 to 62. And after posting this, I will increase it by two more when I add the Sandhill Cranes and the Northern Pintail photos. And lastly, I reached a modest milestone this weekend, getting my 100th subscriber to the blog; that made me happy for sure.

~Barred Owl in Baldwinsville, NY 3/27/16.~

Wow, What a Day!

~This made Kyle Dudgeon happy - Northern Harrier in flight in the Black Dirt, 10/3/15.~ — ~This made Kyle Dudgeon happy – Northern Harrier in flight in the Black Dirt, 10/3/15.~

It was a rainy, wet and cold day for starters. I woke up early with the plan to get out early before heading up to Mt. Peter for my Saturday hawkwatch. I wanted to go to Owens Station Crossing to try for the tern I saw last night and also to try for the Red-necked Phalarope that Ken Witkowski had reported seeing in the back pool of the Liberty Loop. As I drove through a pretty steady rain, I was surprised to get a call from Maria Loukeris; she and Linda Scrima were already at Owens Station Crossing and wanted to try for the phalarope. And Marianne O. was on her way. Four birders out on the worst rainy morning in recent memory? Sounds good to me!

Shortly after arriving at Owens Station Crossing, I relocated the tern in the distance, perched on a stump in the lake. The tern flew for us one time (before I even had my camera out!!), but it gave us some good looks, coming closer in decent light. We were in agreement that the bird was likely a COMMON TERN. Perched, the bird did not stand tall and appeared to have a short neck, a hint of a dark carpal bar could be seen, dark primary/wing edges were very apparent, and the tail did not extending past wingtips. In flight, the wings were strongly angled back, and showed a dark trailing edge on the primaries.

We headed down the trail that leads to the back pond of the Liberty Loop. Shortly after arriving, Marianne located a Short-billed Dowitcher. Linda was the only one with a camera out due to the steady, continuing rain and she provided me with a photo of the bird. We continued to scan for quite a while, getting very wet and cold. Eventually, I located the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE in my scope! Marianne got on it quickly with her scope and Linda got a quick look in my scope, but unfortunately the bird disappeared into some grasses before Maria got her turn on a scope. It took a while to relocate the bird; when Marianne finally did, Maria got a look and we all got some better looks, but they were by no means good looks, through wet lenses and the bird coming and going through the vegetation. This was a life bird for both Maria and Linda, congrats to them both!

When we got back to the Owens Station Crossing parking lot, we could not relocate the Common Tern; had it moved on already? The weather was trying to break at this point, but the rain continued, just a little lighter than before.

~Short-billed Dowitcher at the Liberty Loop Trail, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, 10/3/15. Photo by Linda Scrima.~

I went home and changed into some dry clothes. It appeared that the rain might stop, so I was going to head to Mt. Peter. Once on the road, it became clear that it was still raining pretty good. Kyle Dudgeon was home from college for the weekend, we exchanged texts and decided to try to get the phalarope for him. We tried for a while at the back pond of the Liberty Loop, but we were unable to relocate the bird, even with the help of a Sussex County birder named Kevin who was out for the bird as well. Kyle and I decided to hit the black dirt to try for shorebirds (me) and raptors (Kyle). We were successful in both searches. American Kestrels were extremely numerous, we didn’t keep count but figured by the evening that we had seen over 30 kestrels! We also saw several Northern Harriers including one Gray Ghost, and we had one immature Bald Eagle fly over. For shorebirds we struggled for the most part with not many being seen, but eventually Kyle’s young eyes located three birds I am thinking might have been BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS; I’ve included a photo of one them below. And then a little later, way out in a field he spotted 23 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS! (Several of these birds lifted their wings to show wing pits that were not dark). What a day of birding! Crazy weather and awesome birds; it’s usually a good combination.

~I have this as a Black-bellied Plover – the bill and head look large enough to me? I’m not sure why I struggle so much to differentiate the plovers?! Any thoughts on this bird would certainly be appreciated. Black Dirt Region, 10/3/15.~

A Serious Case of PFBS

~Blue-winged Warbler at Sterling Forest State Park, Ironwood Road, 5/16/15.~

Since my return from Florida I have gotten out and done a lot of local birding whereI have seen and heard many birds, yet it has not felt overly fulfilling. I was thinking about it today and that’s when I realized that I am not well; I am suffering from a case of Post Florida Birding Syndrome. A while back, Linda Scrima warned me that this would happen. Who would have guessed that it would difficult to transition from taking super close-up photos of multiple life birds every day to trying to locate the smallest of birds among the leaves in the highest treetops?

The good news is that I think I’ve found a remedy: I’m thinking back on all the amazing first-of-the-year birds that I’ve had in the eight days since I’ve been back. The list is 50 species long just for Orange County! What better indication is there of all the great birding that is going on right now? And the Mearns Bird Club had their BREAK 100 event this weekend; every team but one had over 100 species in 24 hours! How awesome is that? Additionallhy, while they were not Florida-close, I did manage to get some decent photos during the week. It makes me think about what a great pastime birding is, how there are amazing birds at every turn and that you never know what the next big thing will be.

~Scarlet Tanager at Pochuck Mountain State Forest, 5/17/15.~

~An American Redstart sings his heart out at Pochuck Mountain State Forest, 5/16/15.~

~I got my lifer GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER on Thursday with no photos. When I went back on Saturday I managed to get at least a usable shot. Sterling Forest State Park, Ironwood Drive 5/16/15.~

For those that are interested, these are the new birds added to my Orange County List in the last eight days:

Florida 2015 – Bunche Beach

*Click on photos to enlarge.*

~This was definitely THE bird for me at Bunche Beach. MARBLED GODWIT at Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~ — ~This was definitely THE bird for me at Bunche Beach. **MARBLED GODWIT** at Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~

I love shorebirds. I really love shorebirds, but boy can they be difficult to identify. Especially when you are at a beach in another state a thousand miles away and you really haven’t done your homework.

I got several recommendations to go to Bunche Beach while I was in Florida, and I ended up going there early in the morning on two different days. On the first day, the number of shorebird species I had was on the low side; two photographers were there ahead of me and were literally chasing the birds around. I did better on the second day when I basically had the beach to myself. What a great joy to have all these beautiful shorebirds in perfect, gorgeous light. But then, of course, you have to identify them. I struggled as I sorted through the birds, but I think I eventually figured them all out. Here is my list of shorebirds I had for the two days; if you see any of the photos here misidentified, please comment to help me get it right – thanks! Life birds are in all caps.

American Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Willet
MARBLED GODWIT
Ruddy Turnstone
RED KNOT
Sanderling
Dunlin
Least Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher

~Always cute, a Semipalmated Plover cruises the shoreline at Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~

~I saw many Willets in the week that we were down in Florida, so they were becoming a bit blasé for me, but I liked this flight photo. Bunch Beach, 5/8/15.~ — ~I saw many Willets in the week that we were down in Florida; I caught this one in flight at Bunch Beach, 5/8/15.~

~I love this American Oystercatcher, it has such striking colors! I have not altered the saturation of this photo at all - it has been cropped, the highlights reduced a bit, and then sharpened at the eye and bill. Bunch Beach, 5/8/15.~ — ~I love this American Oystercatcher, it has such striking colors! I have not altered the saturation of this photo at all – it has been cropped, the highlights reduced a bit, and then sharpened at the eye and bill. Bunch Beach, 5/8/15.~

~This was one of my tougher ID's - I have it as a Short-billed Dowitcher. The size seemed right for this and I looked at other reports from Bunche Beach earlier in the week and SBDOs were on several lists. At Bunche Beach on 5/7/15.~ — ~This was one of my tougher ID’s – I have it as a Short-billed Dowitcher. The size seemed right for this and I looked at other reports from Bunche Beach earlier in the week and SBDOs were on several lists. At Bunche Beach on 5/7/15.~

~A MARBLED GODWIT takes a short flight. Bunche Beach, 5/8/25.~ — ~A **MARBLED GODWIT** takes a short flight. Bunche Beach, 5/8/25.~

~There were plenty of Dunlin present on both days, Bunche Beach 5/7/15.~

~I think I am getting a handle on this bird (but maybe I'm wrong!). Sanderling at Bunche Beach, 5/7/15.~ — ~I think I am getting a handle on this bird (but maybe I’m wrong!). Sanderling at Bunche Beach, 5/7/15.~

~Black-bellied Plover and reflection. Bunche Beach, 5/7/15.~

~I have this bird as a RED KNOT, but may it's not (ha ha). To me there's nothing special about this photo but I wanted to include it to see if anyone would confirm it as a Red Knot. Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~ — ~I have this bird as a RED KNOT, but may it’s not (ha ha). To me there’s nothing special about this photo but I wanted to include it to see if anyone would confirm it as a Red Knot. Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~

Bunche Beach is a great location and I had more good birds than just the shorebirds. I enjoyed watching a large group of Black Skimmers flying in unison over the water in the distance; I estimated at least 65 birds were there. When they came to rest on a distant sandbar, I noticed that there were approximately a dozen ROYAL TERNS there as well. I also did well with wading birds, including: Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, REDDISH EGRET, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, White Ibis, and five ROSEATE SPOONBILLS did a flyby on that second morning. Beautiful birds!

~This one's for Tricia - Little Blue Heron just after sunrise. Bunche Beach 5/7/15.~ — ~This one’s for Tricia – Little Blue Heron just after sunrise. Bunche Beach 5/7/15.~

~A Tricolored Heron hunts along the shoreline. Bunche Beach, 5/8/15.~

~(Hopefully) Short-billed Dowitchers at Bunche Beach, 5/8/15. I think the bird behind the central SBDO and to the left is the bird I have identified as a RED KNOT in an above photo.~

Florida Starter and the Resumption of Local Birding

It was a lot of fun for Tricia and I to watch this Anhinga fish at the Naples Botanical Garden, 5/6/15. — I posted this photograph to Facebook while we were still in Florida – it was a lot of fun for Tricia and I to watch this Anhinga fish at the Naples Botanical Garden, 5/6/15. I have plenty more photos and posts from Florida coming soon…

Well, it’s hard to beat the birding in southwest Florida! Birds were seemingly everywhere and I made it out to many great spots during the week that Tricia and I were there. I took loads of photos and its is going to take a little while to get through them, a task that has been complicated with some computer problems upon my return. I’m writing this post on my iPad, which is also what I used to edit the photographs. To say this is less than ideal is a gross understatement. With any luck, I will get this squared away in the next day or so.

Meanwhile, this morning I got out and did some local birding. I met up with Maria Loukeris and Linda Scrima early and we headed to Garret Mountain Reservation in Woodland Park, NJ. We had visions of low flying warblers in perfect light, but unfortunately that was not to be. Foggy, cool conditions with poor light was more like it. We saw or heard 27 species as we walked around the reservation. As far as warblers go, we had 7 species: Northern Parula, Yellow, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Pine, Black-and-white, and Common Yellowthroat. A personal highlight of the visit was seeing a single Least Sandpiper in a mud flat on one of the small ponds there. We decided to try our luck elsewhere and headed to Pochuck Mountain State Forest in Pine Island, NY. As we drove, the weather cleared up and it started to become sunny and warmer. We did much better at this location with both birds and photos. While we did not have a large number of species (23), we made up for it in quality. Our best birds were: Worm-eating Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, and Swainson’s Thrush, all three of which were lifers for both Linda and Maria. We also got a great look at a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, which is one of those birds that I struggle to get photos of. It was a great walk in the woods and was a nice way to finish up the day of birding.

Here is a nice look at the Swainson's Thrush at Pochuck Mountain SF, 5/9/15. — Here is a nice look at the Swainson’s Thrush at Pochuck Mountain SF, 5/9/15.

I got my FOY Ovenbirds at Pochuck Mountain, 5/9/15.

This was fun for me, shooting a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pochuck Mtn SF, 5/9/15. — Though I am not thrilled with the results, it was fun for me to get such good looks and shoot this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Pochuck Mountain SF, 5/9/15.

Wilson's Warbler at Pochuck Mountain, 5/9/15. — Wilson’s Warbler at Pochuck Mountain, 5/9/15.

It was very exciting to get great looks at this Worm-eating Warbler, which Maria called even though it was a lifer for her. Pochuck Mountain SF, 5/9/15.

Florida Bound

~If anyone has any ideas what this male Wood Duck is eating, can you please leave a comment? Taken at 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 4/30/15.~

Tomorrow night, Tricia and I are heading to Bonita Springs, Florida for a week’s vacation. I’m excited as I plan on doing a fair amount of birding while we are there. I am going to post if I find the time while were are down there, otherwise I will post next weekend – I’m hoping for some good birds!

~This is my FOY Gray Catbird, 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 4/30/15.~ — ~This is my FOY **Gray Catbird,** 6 1/2 Station Road Sanctuary, 4/30/15.~

2/17/15 – Catch Up

~I enjoy photographing gulls, they are so accessible, allowing for shots like this Ring-billed Gull head on. Newburgh Waterfront, 2/12/15.~ — ~I enjoy photographing gulls, they are very accessible, allowing for shots like this Ring-billed Gull, head-on. Newburgh Waterfront, 2/12/15.~

I haven’t posted in nearly a week for a couple of reasons. The biggest reason is that I didn’t do any birding this past weekend. We went to the Poconos and spent most of the weekend inside, by the fire, enjoying being with family. The other reason is, when I have gotten out it hasn’t been very productive birding. I went to the waterfront in Newburgh last Thursday to try for gulls. It was a cold but beautiful night with nice light with many gulls to sift through. Unfortunately, I was unable to to locate any gulls other than the expected Ring-billed, Herring, and Great Black-backed Gulls. I also had two distant adult Bald Eagles that night.

Last night, I got hung up and work and I didn’t make it out to the Liberty Marsh until just before sunset. On my way I made a quick stop near Rudinski Lane where I saw some smaller birds congregating. It was a flock of Horned Larks, several American Tree Sparrows and Song Sparrows, and a couple of Mourning Doves. At the viewing platform I alternated sitting in my car and getting out because it was so cold. I had a single Rough-legged Hawk perched in the distance, a couple of Red-tailed Hawks, and a red fox a couple hundred yards north of Oil City Road. I left well after sunset and had not seen or heard any owls.

~By the time I saw this Horned Lark on Monday evening, it was on the dark side which is why this photo is so grainy. I like the horns being up though. Rudinski Lane in Pine Island, NY 2/16/15.~

~A pair of Wild Turkeys perch in a tree at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, 2/17/15.~

And tonight, I went back up to Wallkill to go for the Gyrfalcon. It was a beautiful night and I was hoping to maybe get some photos. I arrived at Old Fort Road and there were no cars, so I knew the bird couldn’t be present. I made a quick call to John Haas, who I had passed on my way there, and he informed that the bird had been located nearly 6 miles away from Old Fort Road. I tried but failed to catch up with the bird, so I headed over to the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR to see if I could do any good over there. I met a birder there named Joe Chernek and we enjoyed seeing at least three Red-tailed Hawks, one dark morph Rough-legged Hawk and a possible distant perched light morph, two Short-eared Owls, and a first for me, seven Wild Turkeys perched in the trees that border the refuge on the south.

~It was follow-the-leader over the Hudson River, the leader being the Herring Gull with a round roll. Newburgh Waterfront, 2/12/15.~